Storage Space Dividing Assembly And Method

ABSTRACT

A storage space dividing assembly and method includes a panel has a first end, a second end, a top edge, a bottom edge, a first side and a second side. The panel comprises a bendable material such that the panel is configured to be selectively bent along lines orientated perpendicular to the top and bottom edges. The panel has a bent shape when the panel is bent along the lines and the bendable material retains the bent shape. The panel, after being bent, is positioned in a storage space in the bent shape such that the panel divides the storage space into a plurality of discrete sections.

BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE Field of the Disclosure

The disclosure relates to storage space dividers and more particularly pertains to a new storage space divider for dividing a storage container into a plurality of discrete areas to retain articles therein separated from each other.

SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE

An embodiment of the disclosure meets the needs presented above by generally comprising a panel has a first end, a second end, a top edge, a bottom edge, a first side and a second side. The panel comprises a bendable material such that the panel is configured to be selectively bent along lines orientated perpendicular to the top and bottom edges. The panel has a bent shape when the panel is bent along the lines and the bendable material retains the bent shape. The panel, after being bent, is positioned in a storage space in the bent shape such that the panel divides the storage space into a plurality of discrete sections.

There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the disclosure in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the disclosure that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto.

The objects of the disclosure, along with the various features of novelty which characterize the disclosure, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The disclosure will be better understood and objects other than those set forth above will become apparent when consideration is given to the following detailed description thereof. Such description makes reference to the annexed drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a pair of panels of a storage space dividing assembly and method according to an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a panel of an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of an embodiment of the disclosure taken along line 4-4 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is a perspective in-use view of an embodiment of the disclosure.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

With reference now to the drawings, and in particular to FIGS. 1 through 5 thereof, a new storage space divider embodying the principles and concepts of an embodiment of the disclosure and generally designated by the reference numeral 10 will be described.

As best illustrated in FIGS. 1 through 5, the storage space dividing assembly 10 and method generally comprises a panel 12 that has that a first end 14, a second end 16, a top edge 18, a bottom edge 20, a first side 22 and a second side 24. The panel 12 comprises a bendable material such that the panel 12 is configured to be selectively bent along lines orientated perpendicular to the top 18 and bottom 20 edges. The term “bendable material” defines a flexible material that is readily bendable by a person's hands but will still retain its shape after being bent. Typically, this would generally require less than about 10.0 lbs of pressure on either side of the bend 26, from 2.0 inches away from either side of the bend 26, to bend the panel 12. The panel 12 has a defined bent shape when the panel 12 is bent along these lines. Generally, the panel 12 would not be bent along lines extending through the first 14 and second 16 ends and the panel 12 may be comprised of a material having vertical reinforcing ribs extending between the top 18 and bottom 20 edges to prevent bending of the panel 12 along angles which are not perpendicular to the lines extending through the top 18 and bottom 20 edges. The bendable material retains the bent shape once the bent shape has been formed. The angles formed by bends 26 in the panel 12 may be selected by the user. The panel(s) 12 will typically have a length from the first end 14 to the second end 16 between 6.0 inches and 18.0 inches and a height from the bottom edge 20 to the top edge 18 between 2.0 inches and 9.0 inches. The panel 12 will have a depth from the first side 22 to the second side 24 being less than 0.5 inches. However, the panels 12 may be structured so that they may be cut to alter their length as needed and therefore the panels 12 may be provided in different lengths as shown in FIG. 1. Specifically, the panels 12 may be provided in lengths of up to several feet and then supplied in rolls, for example, that may be trimmed as needed.

The panel 12 may include an interior frame 28 and exterior coating 30. The interior frame 28 provides the structure required to help retain the panel 12 in the bent shape. The interior frame 28 may therefore comprise a metallic material. The interior frame 30, while shown as solid plate, may also comprise a plurality of wires extending from the first end 14 to the second end 16 and being spaced from each other a distance of less than 0.50 inches such that when used together they function as the interior frame 28. Alternatively, the interior frame 28 may also be comprised of a wire mesh material. The exterior coating 30 protects the interior frame 28 as well as prevents a person being cut by the interior frame 28 or allowing the interior frame 28 from damaging a storage space 70. As such, the exterior coating 30 may comprise an elastomeric material which might include natural or synthetic rubbers, plastics, silicones and the like. The exterior coating 30 may be resiliently stretchable to allow it to conform to a shape of the bends 26.

The panel 12 is configured to be positioned in the storage space 70 in the bent shape such that the panel 12 divides the storage space 70 into a plurality of discrete sections. The storage space 70 includes a bottom wall 72 and a perimeter wall 74 wherein the storage space 70 is bounded by the perimeter wall 74. The storage space 70 may comprise any space used for storing small articles including, but not limited to, boxes, drawers, shower caddies and the like. FIG. 5 provides a view of a conventional shower caddy including a wire frame.

The first end 14 may comprise a first mating member 32 and the second end 16 may comprises a second mating member 34 so that the first 32 and second 34 mating members are releasably matable with each other. This is particularly useful if a plurality of panels 12 is being utilized as it allows the first mating member 32 of a first panel 12 to be releasably mated to the second mating member 34 of a second panel 12. The first 32 and second 34 mating members may comprise hooks as shown in the Figures though any interlocking structure may be utilized. Hooks may be useful should the user desire to engage rods of a perimeter wall 74 as shown in FIG. 5. Also, a single mating member 36, as shown in FIG. 3, may be used on only the first ends 14 of multiple panels 12 and the panels 12 are simply rotated and inverted to allow the single mating members 36 to engage each other.

In use, when a person has a storage place 70, which may include any type of storage container, luggage, box, drawer, caddy, or the like, that person may find that separating the storage space 70 into discrete units will make storage of individual articles easier. The articles will not fall over each other and may be separated as to size, type, etc. To that end, the panel 12 or panels may be shaped by the person such that the panel 12 has one or multiple bends 26 therein and may further include, depending on the size of the storage space, multiple panels 26. Once positioned within the storage space 70, as shown in FIG. 5, the storage space 70 allows articles to be retained separately within the storage space 70.

With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of an embodiment enabled by the disclosure, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by an embodiment of the disclosure.

Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the disclosure. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the disclosure to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the disclosure. In this patent document, the word “comprising” is used in its non-limiting sense to mean that items following the word are included, but items not specifically mentioned are not excluded. A reference to an element by the indefinite article “a” does not exclude the possibility that more than one of the element is present, unless the context clearly requires that there be only one of the elements. 

1. A dividing assembly for dividing a storage space, said dividing assembly comprising: a panel having a first end, a second end, a top edge, a bottom edge, a first side and a second side, said panel comprising a bendable material such that said panel is configured to be selectively bent along lines orientated perpendicular to said top and bottom edges, said panel having a bent shape when said panel is bent along said lines, said bendable material retaining said bent shape, said panel including an interior frame and exterior coating; and wherein said panel is configured to be positioned in a storage space in said bent shape such that said panel divides said storage space into a plurality of discrete sections.
 2. (canceled)
 3. The dividing assembly for dividing a storage space according to claim 1, wherein said interior frame comprises a metallic material.
 4. The dividing assembly for dividing a storage space according to claim 3, wherein said exterior coating comprises an elastomeric material.
 5. The dividing assembly for dividing a storage space according to claim 1, wherein said exterior coating comprises an elastomeric material.
 6. The dividing assembly for dividing a storage space according to claim 1, wherein said first end comprises a first mating member and said second end comprises a second mating member, said first and second mating members being releasably matable with each other.
 7. The dividing assembly for dividing a storage space according to claim 4, wherein said first end comprises a first mating member and said second end comprises a second mating member, said first and second mating members being releasably matable with each other.
 8. A dividing system for dividing a storage space, said dividing assembly comprising: a pair of panels, each of said panels including a second end, a top edge, a bottom edge, a first side and a second side, each of said panel comprises a bendable material such that said panels are each configured to be selectively bent along lines orientated perpendicular to associated ones of said top and bottom edges, each said panel defining a bent shape when an associated one of said panels is bent along said lines, said bendable material retaining said bent shape, said panels each including an interior frame and exterior coating; and wherein said panels are configured to be positioned in a storage space in said bent shape such that said panels divide said storage space into a plurality of discrete sections.
 9. (canceled)
 10. The dividing assembly for dividing a storage space according to claim 8, wherein said interior frame comprises a metallic material.
 11. The dividing assembly for dividing a storage space according to claim 10, wherein said exterior coating comprises an elastomeric material.
 12. The dividing assembly for dividing a storage space according to claim 8, wherein said exterior coating comprises an elastomeric material.
 13. The dividing assembly for dividing a storage space according to claim 8, wherein each of said first ends comprises a first mating member and each of said second ends comprises a second mating member, said first mating member of one of said panels being releasably mated with said second mating member of the other one of said panels.
 14. (canceled)
 15. A method of forming a plurality of discrete sections for storage, said method comprising the steps of: providing a bottom wall and a perimeter wall, said perimeter wall bounding a storage space; bending into a selected shape and positioning within said storage space a panel such that said storage space is formed into a plurality of discrete sections, said panel having a first end, a second end, a top edge, a bottom edge, a first side and a second side, said panel comprising a bendable material such that said panel is bent along lines orientated perpendicular to said top and bottom edges, said panel having a bent shape when said panel is bent along said lines, said bendable material retaining said bent shape, said panel including an interior frame and exterior coating, said interior frame comprising a metallic material, said exterior coating comprising an elastomeric material.
 16. The method of claim 15, further including the steps of: defining said panel as a first panel; providing a second panel having a same structure as said second panel; bending said second panel into a selected shape; coupling said first mating member of said first panel to said second mating member of said second panel such that each of said first and second panels are positioned within said storage space. 